The President Joe Biden’s growing willingness to deporter-in chief has caused a stir among immigration advocates. Reports indicate that dozens of them stormed out from a virtual meeting of White House officials to protest the administration’s reintroduction of Migrant Protection Protocols. Politico
MPP was also known by the informal name “Remain in Mexico” and was established under President Donald Trump. This allowed asylum seekers in Mexico to continue their stay while they waited for hearings at the U.S. Immigration Court.
It was controversial. Critics claimed that the program violated immigrants’ rights to asylum in America under international and domestic law. They also claimed that it forced 70,000 migrants to sit in tent cities at dangerous Mexican border towns while they waited for their court hearings. In June, the Biden administration ended this program. In response to Missouri’s and Texas’ lawsuit, a federal judge ordered its reinstatement.
Some immigration activists were relieved when the administration complied with court orders.
“I cannot stand one more meeting of them pretending,” Ariana Saludares, a 40-year old advocate from the New Mexico–based organization Colores United and attendee of the Saturday meeting with White House officials, told Politico. They give us praises from the outside but we have to remove the metaphoric knives and the hammer from the back.
They were also dissatisfied that Biden continued to pursue another Trump-related border policy. Title 42 is a measure that allows border officials to remove migrants from the country if there’s a risk to their health because of COVID-19.
As of July 20,21, more than 1,000,000 people had been expelled from the U.S. This public health justification was used by the Biden administration to expel thousands of Haitian immigrants from the U.S. border with Mexico near Del Rio in Texas.
Biden promised during the campaign that he would adopt a more gentle and humane approach towards immigration. Many of the draconian policies that were implemented by the previous administration have been continued, leaving activists feeling disappointed.
Saludares said, “It almost feels like we were fooled into believing that this would be the best choice.” You feel as though your family are turning on you and saying that you’re okay. “It’s not.”
Surely, the Biden government fired at least some horses?
FREE MINDS
Maine has begun to crack down on offensive license plates. Maine is currently working on new regulations that will prohibit offensive license plates. Fuck It’s a complete flop.You can’t have obscenities that aren’t suitable for printing on vanity plates.
According to the Associated Press, currently, the state is putting off applications for vulgar plates but will recall any that were issued.
“Rulemaking will delay active removal of plates but it will help us balance free speech rights for citizens with the public interest to remove inappropriate license plates,” stated Secretary of State Shenna Beans.
California’s restrictions regarding allegedly offensive vanity plates was overturned on First Amendment grounds in late 2013. Maine’s proposed rules may run into the exact same issue.
FREE MARKETS
Nashville’s government is trying to stop the hot tub on wheels, betraying its image as a party town. Reports indicate that the Nashville government has filed suit against Guy Williams (owner of the Music City Party Tub) for operating a public swimming-pool without the necessary permits. The Tennessean
Williams has been operating his mobile hot tub—a heated pool on a trailer that’s pulled by a truck around city streets—through a shifting series of corporate entities since April 2019. In Williams’ lawsuit, the city claims that he does not have the required public pool permit. The party tub also needs numerous design changes to make it street-legal.
A judge should temporarily close the party tub. Although a preliminary injunction hearing had been scheduled last week, there have not yet been any reports on the outcome.
It would mean a huge loss to both the bachelorette party and their unfettered, free-flowing enterprise.
QUICK HITS
• Apple’s latest iPhone privacy features have obstructed its tech rivals’ ads from reaching users, tripling the company’s market share:
Chart of the day:@AppleAdvertising business has nearly tripled its market share since it implemented privacy changes for iPhones in six months. These privacy changes were made to rivals and obstructed others. @FacebookAnd @GoogleTargeting ads to consumers is one example.
*A Thread* pic.twitter.com/vhFFXOzHGa
— Patrick McGee (@PatrickMcGee_) October 17, 2021
• The San Francisco Chronicle has a long profile on Monica Gandhi, a San Francisco doctor who has generated controversy for advocating a slightly more liberal, harm reduction–oriented approach to the pandemic.
• China hawks are foaming at the mouthAfter the country carried out a high-sonic missile testing in low orbit.
• Biden has maintained limits on people sending remittances to Cuba despite promises to lift those sanctions.
• New York City is looking to turn a massive public graveyard into a public park. It’s fun!
• Democrats in Congress are considering passing a carbon tax after Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D–W.Va.) Rejection of the clean energy plan they have for combating climate change.
• Colombian officials are sterilizing hippos smuggled into the country by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. These animals could be considered an invading species.
• Is it a witch hunt? After making a joke about beating women, Christchurch in New Zealand has fired its 23-year-old municipal wizard.
• Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has died at age 84 of complications from COVID-19, his family said on Facebook.